Folding ladder



P. PIRSCH FOLDING LADDER July 9, 1929.

Filed Jan. 23, 1928 "ll-I'll h...

TTORNEYS Patented July 9, 1929.

UNITED STATES" PATENT OFFICE.

PETER PIRtSCI-I, F KENOSHA, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO PETER PIB$CH AND SONS 00., OF KENOSHA, WISCONSIN, A FIRM COMPOSED OF IE'IER PIRSGH, W. R. PIRSCH, AND

OEILA PIRSCH EVEN.

FOLDING LADDER.

Application filed January 23, 1928.

This invention relates to improvements in folding ladders.

Portable ladders, having window hooks thereon have been in common use by firemen for climbing fron'i floor to floor of a building. lllany'of these devices were cumberson to handle due to the fact that the steps and large iron hoolt pnrotruded and caught upon objects when the ladder was being carried about at a fire.

lit is one of the objects of the present invention to overcome the above-mentioned objections, and to provide a ladder in which the steps and window hook may be folded siuniltancously to an out of the way position.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a ladder in which the steps fold entirely within the standard, leaving a smooth outer surface.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a folding ladder having stop means to maintain the hook and. steps .in position.

It is a furtherobject ofthis invention to provide a folding ladder having a catch to prevent it from collapsing.

l t is a further object of this invention to provide a folding ladder which. is simple and light in. construction, and well adapted for the purpose described.

l Vith the above and other objects in view, the invention. consists of the improved folding ladder, and all its parts and combinations as set li'orth in the claims, and all equivalents thereof.

In. the accompanying drawing, in which the same reference characters designate the same parts in all. of the views:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the improved ladder, parts being broken away and parts being shown in section, the dottedliines indieating the position of the parts when folded;

Fig. 2 is a front view of the ladder ready for use;

Fig. 3 is a detail view of a portion of the standard, parts being brol'cen away andpar ts being. shown in section. the dotted lines indicatin the position of a step when folded;

Fi l is a sectional view taken on line l4: of Fig. 1; and. i

Fig. 5 is a detail view of the lower end of the standard, parts being broken away, and. parts being shown in section.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral Serial No. 248,742.

designates the standard, constructed preferably in four sections. Two of these sections are joined together in spaced-apart relation to form the movable portion 12 of the stand ard, by strips of material. 11 interposed a t the uppe' and lower ends, leaving a slot 13 between the two sections. The other two sections of the standard are oined together in a similar manner to form the stationary portion 14:. A sleeve 15 secured to the lower end of the stationary stal'ldard member and. to a stop block 16, and within this sleeve the lower end of the movable staiulard member 12 slides, the block 16 limiting its tlOh'lllVtllfCl n11 oveinen t.

A plurality of guide blocks 17 are secured at intervals between. the two sections of the stationary standard member, and these blocks extend into the slot 13 between the two sections of the movable standard. member. A screw 18, in each guide member, holds a disk 19 .in place, the latteroverlapping the edges of the slot 13.

Steps 20, each having a slot 21 and. a perforation EZQtherein, are positioned at intervals within the slot 13. Each. step pivots on a bolt 23 extending through the stationary standard. members and the perforation 22 in the step. A second bolt 24;, extending through the movable staiidard men'iber and the slot 21 is also provided for each step.

Pivoted. at an intermediate point 25in an extension 26 onthe upper end of the stationary Stillldftl'd member is a window hoolc 27. The latter is constructed preferably of metal. hollowed out to render it light in weight, and. purovided on its lower edge with teeth 28 for engaging a window sill or other part of a building. The inner end of the hook member pivoted to one end of a link 29, the other end of the link being pivotally conne ed tothe movable stxn'idard member. A s .ing member 30 has apinv 31 extending inwardly therefrom which is adapted. to engage. a perforation in a band 32 to lock theparts of the ladderin open position. An. outwardly curve extension 33 i secured to the standard nea nits lower end. to keep the ladder a short distance from the wallwhen it is being used.

To collapsejthe ladder it is merely necessary to pull. outwardly on. the spring member 30 to disengage the pin 3]. from the perforation in the band 32, and then to push downwardly upon the hook member 27. By this latter movement, the movable standard member is raised upwardly, causing the bolts 24 to slide in the slots 21 of their respective steps. This causes each step to fold into the slot 13 of'the standard as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 3. Thus the hook and steps fold simultaneously. To open the ladder, the hook member must be raised upwardly until-the spring catch 30 engages the perforation'in the band 32. The steps will of course be unfolded by this operation, and the device will be ready for use. The stop piece 16 will limit the downward movement of the movable standard member, and as, a result, the steps will be held firmly in position.

From the foregoing description it may be seen that the improved folding ladder is sim ple and light in construction and well adapted for the purpose described.

What I claim is:

1. A ladder comprising a standard, a plurality of foldably mounted single length step members connected thereto at a medial point of said step members, and means in connection with said step members for simultaneously folding the same.

2. A ladder comprising a single standard, a plurality of step members pivotally connected thereto, and means in connection with said step members for simultaneously folding the same, by pivoting them in their entirety.

3. A ladder comprising a standard, a plurality of mounted-step members connected thereto, a foldable hook member foldably connected to the standard, and means connecting said hook member with said standard and said steps for folding the latter When the hook member is folded.

4. A ladder comprising a standard, a plurality of step members in pivotal connection therewith, a hook member pivotally connected to the standard, and means connectng sa1d hook member with said standard and said steps for pivoting said steps to a folded position when the hook member is moved.

5. A ladder comprising a standard, said standard consisting of a fixed section and a slidable section, a plurality of steps pivoted V vto the fixedistandard section, a hook memher pivoted to the fixed standard section, means connecting the hook member with the slidable standard member for moving the latter when thehook member is moved, and means operating between the slidable standard section and the-steps for causing said stepsto pivot when the slidable standard section is moved. I

6. A ladder comprising a standard, said standard consisting of a fixed section and a slidable section, a plurality of steps pivoted to the fixed standard section and each having a slot therein, a hook member pivoted to the fixed standard section, means connecting the hook member with the slidable standard'member for moving the latter when the hook member is moved, and means on the slidable standard member slidably mlgaging the slots in the steps for causing the latter to pivot when the slidable standard section is moved.

7. A ladder comprising a standard, said standard consisting of a fixed section and a slidable section, means for holding said sections together in slidable relation, a plurality of steps pivoted to the fixed standard section and each having a slot therein, a hook member pivoted at an intermediate point to the fixed standard member, a link having one end pivoted to the hook member and its other end to the slidable standard section for moving the latter when the hook member is moved, and bolts on the slidable standard member engaging the slots in the steps for causing the latter to pivot when the slidable standard section is moved.

8. A ladder comprising a standard, said standard consisting of a. fixed section and a slidable section, a. plurality of steps pivoted to the fixed standard section, a hook member pivoted to the fixed standard. section, means connecting the hook member with the slidable standard member for moving the latter when the hook member is moved, means operating between the slidable stand.- ard section and the steps for causing the latter to pivot when the slidable standard section is moved, and means for limiting the downward movement of the slidable standard section.

9. A ladder comprising a. standard, said standard consisting of a fixed section and a slidable section, a plurality of steps pivoted to the fixed standard section, a. hook member pivoted to the fixed standard section, means connecting the hook member with the slidable standard member for moving the latter when the hook member is moved, means operating between the slidable standard section and the steps for cansing the latter to pivot when the slidable standard section is moved, a stop block sooured to the lower end of the fixed standard section, and a sleeve secured to the fixed section and the stop block, the slidable standard section being slidably received. by said sleeve and its downward movement being limited by said stop block.

10. A ladder comprising a standard, said standard consisting of a fixed section and a slidable section, av plurality of steps pivoted to the fixed standard section, a hook lllOl'l'lllGl pivoted to the fixed standard section. means connecting the hook member with the slidable standard member for moving the latter when the hook member is moved, means operating between the slidable standard section and the steps for causing the latter to pivot when the slidable standard section is moved, a spring catch on the slidable standard, section, and means carried by the fixed standard section for engagement with the spring catch.

11. A ladder comprising a singe standard having openings therein, a plurality of single length steps foldably mounted within the openings of said standard, and means in connection with said steps for sil'i'iultaneously folding the same within the openings of said sin gle standard.

12, A ladder comprising a standard, said standard consisting of a fixed section and a slidable section, said sections each having registering longitudinally extending slots therein, plurality of steps pivoted within the slots to the fixed standard section, a hoolr member pivoted to the fixed standard section, means connecting the hook member with the slidable standard member for moving the latter when the hook member is moved, and means operating between the slidable standard section and the steps for causing said steps to pivot within the slotted portions ot' the steps.

13. A ladder comprising a standard, a plurality of foldably mounted step members connected thereto, a hook member of substantial size and adapted for engagement with an object to support the ladder toldably con,- nected to the ladder, and means connecting said hook member with said standard and said steps for folding the latter when the hook member is folded.

14. A ladder comprising a single standard, said standard consisting of a .tiXed section and a slidable section, a plurality of steps pivoted to the :[ixed standard section, and means between said steps and the slidable standard. section for causing said steps to pivot when the slidahle standard section is moved.

15. A ladder comprising a standard, a plurality of foldably mounted step members connected thereto, a hook member foldable from a position at substantially right angles to the standard to a position substantially parallel thereto, and means connecting said hook member with said standard and said steps for folding the latter when the hook member is folded.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

PETER PIRSCH.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent o. 1,719,997. Granted July 9, 1929, to

PETER PIRSCH.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 3, line 6, claim 11, for the word "singe" read "single"; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 13th day of August, A. D. 1929.

M. J. Moore, (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

